Door or screen and fastening means



Jan. 31,1933. c. H. NORDELL DOOR OR SCREEN AND FASTENING MEANS Filed Aug. 18, 1950 Patented Jan. 31, 1933 CARL H. NORDELL, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS DOOR OR SCREEN AND FASTENING MEANS 1 Application filed August 18, 1930.

The present invention relates to doors or screens and has for its object to produce a simple and novel device of that kind which shall present the appearance of a curtain T hanging in folds.

In carrying out my invention, I employ a core member in the form of a frame covered -.on one or both faces with curtain material secured thereto 5' the frame being of such contour that when the curtain is attached thereto and follows the contour thereof itwill have the appearance of hanging in folds. The top and bottom of the device should resemble an ordinary curtain and therefore the 715 covering material should be secured to the frame in such a manner as to leave free upper and lower marginal portions thereon and at the same time make it possible to draw a the covering taut.

Therefore, viewed in one of its aspects, the present invention may be said to have for its object to produce a simple and novel fastening means between a curtain and a support ing element or, since such fastening means may be used for other purposes, to produce a simple and novel fastening between two members in general.

The various features of novelty whereby my invention is characterized will hereinafter be pointed out with particularity in the claims; but, for a full understanding of my invention and of its objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a door or screen made in accordance with the present invention, parts being broken away; Fig. 2 is a section on a larger scale on line 22 of 0 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section .on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, on the same scale as Fig. 2, the metal portion of the door or screen being broken away; Fig. i is a section on line H of Fig.1, on the same scale as Figs; 2 and 3,

only a fragment of the structure being shown; and Fig. 5 is a sectional view, corresponding to Flg. 3, on a larger scale and omitting the curtain or covering.

The door or screen comprises a core shaped to give and hold the desired form, the broad flexible covering for one or. bOuh sidesiofthe Serial No. 475,971.

faces being in waves similar to. the yertical folds into which the curtain or. otherflexible sheet will lay itself when suspended in aerally contracted condition; together; witlithe core member. In the arrangement shown, the core is in the form of aframevcompris ing two tubular uprights 1 and Qc nIiected at the top by means of crossppieceseachfiof which is composed of two comparatively Widea strips of sheet metal 3 and 4:, each; bent into the form of a series of waves succeedingea cih other from one end of the. strip to the other. The two elements of each transverseframe member are secured by welding orotherwise to the vertical or upright frame members. If body or thickness to the door or screen .beg de sired, the two elements of each transverse frame member may be held apart at the points that come nearest each other by meansoff spacers 5. Near the upper edge of eachelement of the upper cross piece, and near: the lower edge of each element ,of each .lOWer cross piece is a. series of holes extending through the metal, these being preferably ,in the form of narrow transverselyelonated slots 6. These holes or slots are space and distributed in any manner most suitable ff or each particular kind of fabric co vering and the appearance which the stretchedcoveringq, is to have. It will be understood that there will be four rows of holes only when the covering is extended across both sides .ofthe frame as there need be no holes on aside that is not to be covered. The, frame ,iscovered: in whole or in part by means ofa flexible sheet 7 of curtain material or other suit'able material that may be hemmed at thetop, and bottom, as indicated at 8; the flexible sheet being wrapped around the frame with the, hems projecting above the top and belowthe bottom. To the flexible. cover, 7 adjacent to each of the slots in the frame, I have s ew ed on the inner side thereof a strong tape 9 that is carried up or down, as the. caselmaygbe 95 to and past the corresponding outer .ed ge of the member 3 or 4 and is .then threaded through the adjacent slot 6 and hasit s free end pulled inwardly betweenthe .bodyportion of the tape andthe faceofthe frame. 0

member. It will be seen that when the tapes are applied to the frame at the top and bottom, in this manner, and the free ends are drawn so as to pull the flexible covering or curtain taut, the free ends of the tapes will be pressed tightly against the face or faces .of the frame and be frictionally held against pulling out through the slots. Consequently,

: the topand bottom of the curtain or covering may be quickly'attached to theframe and the curtain or covering may be drawn taut to follow the contour of the frame and have the appearance of hanging in folds.

In the construction shown, the cover is in the form of a contmuous element wrapped around the frame or core and having its meeting ends lapped and secured together by snap fasteners or other suitable means, as indicated at 10.

It will of course be understood that the construction shown is one in which all of the features of my invention are combined and used to the exclusion of other means adapted for the same general purpose, and that such complete combination or use is not essential,

considering the invention broadly. In any event, it will be seen that I have provided a simple and effective fastening device between two members, particularly adapted to secure and hold taut a curtain or other flexible sheet, as well as a novel type of door or curtain regardless of the exact type of fastenings employed and regardless of the structural characteristics of the core or frame or the extent to which the curtain covers the latter.

ity of said openings; and flexibleelements connectedto said second member and each extending over one of said edges, threaded through the corresponding opening, and having its free end lying between the supporting member and the second member and held in contact with the supporting member by said sec.-

ond member; whereby said second member is secured to the supporting member and subjected to stretching stresses when the free ends of said flexible elements are pulled to draw the flexible elements taut.

2. In combination, a supporting member having distributed openings near one edge, a curtain extending across one side of said member, flexible elements secured to said curtain and extending over said edge and back through said openings, the free ends of said elements lying in contact with said side of said member and being pressed against the same by the curtain.

3. In combination, a supporting member having distributed openings therethrough near opposite edges; a curtain extending acrossone'side of the said member; and flexible elements connected to said curtain in the vicinity of said edges; said flexible elements extending over the corresponding edges of said supporting member and being threaded through said openings so as to position their free ends between and in frictional contact with the supporting member and the curtain.

4. In combination, a supporting member having distributed openings: therethrough near opposite edges; a curtain extending across one side of the said member; and tapes connected to said curtain in the vicinity of said edges; said tapes extending over the corresponding edges of said supporting member and being threaded through said openings so as to position their free ends between and in frictional contact with the supporting member and the curtain.

5. In combination, a frame having distributed openings therethrough near opposed edges, a curtain extending across the frame, tapes secured to the curtain near said edges of the frame, said tapes extending over the corresponding edges of the frame and their free ends being threaded through the corresponding openings and extending inwardly therefrom between the frame and the curtain and held against the frame by the curtain.

6. A device of the character described, comprising a frame having a waved contour on one side, and a curtain extending across said side and secured to the frame in the valleys in the waves therein so as to have the appearance of hanging in folds.

7. A device of the character described, comprising a frame having vertical members and top and bottom cross members, said cross members having faces in the form of waves succeeding each other from end to end of the cross members, and a curtain covering a side of'the frame and connected at the top and bottom to the low points in the cross members, whereby the curtain is fixed in position so as to have the appearance of hanging in folds.

8. A device of the character described; a rectangular frame, a flexible sheet extending across the broad faces and two vertical edges of the frame, the broad faces of the frame being shaped to give to the sheet the appearance of hanging in folds when the sheet follows the contour thereof, and fastenings between the top and bottom of the curtain to cause it to follow said contour.

9. In a device of the character described, a frame comprising uprights and top and bottom cross members, said cross members having double walls corrugated to form Waves Whose lengths extend 1n the vertical dlrection, a fiexlble coverlng for the frame,

and means securing said cover to the cross members in the Valleys of the Waves to cause the cover to follow the contour of said cross members.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

CARL H. NORDELL. 

